Keni Lavs: The Bra 1 Tok

Some artists make themselves heard by raising their voice. Keni Lavs has never really needed to.

The Sierra Leonean artist, also known as Don 2 Nice or D2N, has a way of approaching a record that feels controlled even when the writing is anything but. His flows can be sharp, explicit and deliberately disrespectful, but rarely do they feel forced. There is a certain calm in the way he delivers them. As Keni puts it himself, he is “disrespectful baaaaad.”

Keni Lavs

His unique musical style was already clear in his 2019 freestyle videos. Even then, he had a sharp delivery, unpredictable flows, and a knack for changing up traditional song structures. Today, those same traits still anchor his music.

PLAYLAVS, released May 14, 2025, marked another point in that progression. The four-track EP included “BATMAN,” “NYANDEBO,” “LE4DER” featuring PLUTO TUNEZ, and “PLAYLAVS.”

Keni Lavs

Keni and Pluto have developed a recurring chemistry. Pluto produced “DAMN2NICE,” one of Keni's more significant records, and later contributed to “LE4DER.” Gambian listeners may also recognise Pluto from Mass 187's Tha Godfather, where he worked alongside Jedii007.

“BATMAN” remains one of the clearest examples of Keni's approach. Its impact comes from the way he phrases his lines, controls the cadence and sits on the beat. He does not need to overperform the attitude. It is already there.

That attention to detail carries into his recording process. Keni is particular about cadence, to the point where a record can remain on the hard drive if something feels slightly off.

His latest release, D2N, keeps that momentum going with “HONEY WAFFLE” and “CONCERN.”

Don 2 Nice is more than a name he goes by. It is also the idea behind “The Bra 1 Tok,” his signature phrase, which translates to “the elder/oga/koto wants to talk.”

And for an artist who has spent years sharpening his approach, there is still plenty left to say.

The Bra 1 Tok.